319:
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33:
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494:
379:
At a later date, Carter's flank walls have been hidden by additional heavier walls of rustic stone that do not match the original bridge. At some point before 1897, the bridge was widened on the north side to carry four tracks. The widened trackbed has since been removed, since 1967, leaving only the
404:(who own the railway infrastructure) cleaned the stonework, removing plant growth and cutting back the surrounding greenery to make the bridge more visible. A public information board explains the history of the bridge. The bridge has also featured on the UK's £5 note (in its post-1829 form). The
517:
371:
to paint the original opening day. He, assuming that little about the bridge had changed, portrayed it as it appeared in 1875–complete with curved retaining walls–in his reconstruction of the 1825 opening scene. A similar error occurs in Robert
Thurston's
477:
366:
to repair it. He added curved flanking walls, holding back earth ramparts, that shored up Bonomi's failing embankments. The railway survived and prospered. To celebrate their fiftieth year in 1875, they commissioned
505:
361:
Traffic over the bridge increased far beyond the S&DR's expectations, and by 1828 the embankments leading to the bridge were showing serious damage. In 1829 the railway engaged John Falcus Carter of
529:
493:
790:
770:
970:
1107:
1112:
1092:
338:. Bonomi designed a stone arch bridge, with a single arch spanning the river and two smaller arches over the paths either side. It was built by Francis Peacock of
1102:
1000:
523:
The flat stonework of the original arches contrasts with the rustic stone of the later flanking walls. A public information board is in the foreground.
1097:
1082:
358:
sketched the bridge as it was originally built. The pride taken in the bridge is suggested by its appearance on the railway's share certificates.
854:
413:
1087:
810:
940:
88:
1042:
771:"The story of Skerne Bridge - a somewhat mysterious fixture of Darlington's railway history which has been revamped after years of neglect"
830:
981:
1001:"The 1825 Stockton & Darlington Railway: Historic Environment Audit Appendix 5. Darlington to Goosepool (Stockton Council boundary)"
412:
has marked it with a Red Wheel plaque. Having carried the railway over the River Skerne since 1825, under the
Stockton and Darlington,
913:
859:
318:
1023:
894:
928:
908:
864:
417:
463:
295:
886:
405:
462:, the locomotive that pulled the inaugural train over Skerne Bridge. The locomotive has been moved to the eponymously named
82:
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43:
50:
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gave it a new designation as a Grade I listed building, in recognition of its architectural and historic interest.
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32:
409:
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he had designed had to be rebuilt after suffering flood damage, the railway directors told him to consult
326:
The
Stockton and Darlington Railway had to cross the Skerne River, and it was originally intended that
306:. It is still in use, being the oldest railway bridge in continuous use in the world. It is a Grade I
971:"THE ROUTE OF THE S&DR 1825: The Darlington Circular Stockton & Darlington Railway Walk No.5"
354:
crossed it with a train of coal and passengers. Shortly before the opening, in August 1825, the Revd
397:
1010:. Archaeo-Environment for Durham County Council, Darlington Borough Council and Stockton Council
880:
400:
number 1002331. Ahead of the 195th
Anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington railway in 2020,
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965:(Public information board). Footpath south west of Skerne Bridge: Darlington Borough Council.
342:. The bridge famously featured on the opening day of the railway, 27 September 1825
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850:
459:
444:
351:
855:"Skerne Railway bridge, 320m south east of Darlington Railway Museum, Darlington (1002331)"
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The post-1829 Skerne Bridge used in an image of the 1825 opening in Robert
Thurston's book.
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182:
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Preferential Share of the
Stockton and Darlington Railway, issued 24. September 1858
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127:
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758:
432:, the Skerne Bridge is the oldest railway bridge in continuous use in the world.
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117:
65:
52:
16:
Railway bridge in
Darlington, County Durham, UK; in continuous use since 1825
425:
298:, it carried the first train on the opening day, 27 September 1825
1069:
Archaeologist
Caroline Hardie explains the evolution of the Skerne Bridge
466:
in preparation for the bicentenary celebrations of the S&DR in 2025.
408:'s Panel for Historical Engineering Works has listed it as HEW 151. The
535:
The piers are left from the widening of the bridge on the north side.
317:
759:"Historic England highlights windmill, mud walls and sports hall"
650:
648:
581:
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stone piers, and a single track still using the original arches.
963:
Skerne Bridge. Route of the 1825 Stockton and
Darlington Railway
483:
Opening of
Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 (excerpt) by
339:
330:
should erect a stone and iron bridge. However, when the similar
929:"Skerne Bridge, Non Civil Parish - 1475481 | Historic England"
553:
An 1897 map shows the wider bridge, as does a 1967 photograph.
1043:"Panel For Historical Engineering Works : Skerne Bridge"
37:
South side, with original arches flanked by later buttresses
831:"Where's the world's oldest rail bridge in continuous use?"
677:
675:
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791:"IN CIRCULATION: The Skerne Bridge on the old £5 note"
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941:"John Carter and the Saving of the Skerne Bridge"
948:Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway
454:, which occupies the former station building of
717:
693:
978:Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway
8:
882:Civil engineering heritage. Northern England
1108:Grade I listed railway bridges and viaducts
811:"WATCH: Locomotion No 1 arrives in Shildon"
741:
681:
600:
374:A history of the growth of the steam engine
322:Bridge in August 1825, as originally built
20:
1113:Grade I listed buildings in County Durham
666:
612:
570:
639:
624:
560:
546:
473:
458:. Until March 2021, this museum housed
294:, County Durham. Built in 1825 for the
1093:Buildings and structures in Darlington
254:
239:
231:
221:
7:
1103:Scheduled monuments in County Durham
1047:Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
450:The bridge is a short distance from
729:
705:
158:39 ft 6 in (12.04 m)
914:National Heritage List for England
860:National Heritage List for England
14:
1028:www.nationaltransporttrust.org.uk
879:Rennison, Robert William (1996).
1098:Railway bridges in County Durham
528:
516:
504:
492:
476:
31:
1083:Stockton and Darlington Railway
296:Stockton and Darlington Railway
655:Historic England & 1002331
586:Historic England & 1475481
163:
1:
286:is a railway bridge over the
1088:Rail transport in Darlington
435:On 7 December 2021
384:Renovation and commemoration
202:27 September 1825
1129:
1008:Darlington Borough Council
456:North Road railway station
909:"Skerne Bridge (1475481)"
887:Thomas Telford Publishing
396:the bridge was listed as
388:On 19 June 1970
276:
267:
263:
244:7 December 2021
218:
30:
885:(2nd ed.). London:
418:London and North Eastern
410:National Transport Trust
194:Francis Peacock, of Yarm
933:historicengland.org.uk
323:
66:54.534444°N 1.550611°W
321:
1024:"Heritage Locations"
718:NTTSkerneBridge 2021
694:NorthenEchoPic4 2017
71:54.534444; -1.550611
837:. 29 September 2020
797:. 25 September 2017
777:. 25 September 2017
765:. 15 December 2021.
62: /
1049:. 13 February 2015
398:Scheduled monument
324:
256:Reference no.
815:The Northern Echo
795:The Northern Echo
775:The Northern Echo
328:George Stephenson
280:
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83:OS grid reference
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1054:
1038:
1036:
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1005:
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994:
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986:
980:. Archived from
975:
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956:
954:
945:
936:
924:
923:
921:
905:Historic England
900:
875:
874:
872:
863:, archived from
851:Historic England
846:
844:
842:
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824:
822:
806:
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766:
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742:NorthenEcho 2021
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682:NetworkRail 2020
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601:NorthenEcho 2017
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520:
508:
496:
480:
460:Locomotion No. 1
445:Historic England
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428:and (currently)
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352:Locomotion No. 1
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35:
21:
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867:on 11 June 2021
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487:(painted 1875).
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345:
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336:Ignatius Bonomi
332:Gaunless Bridge
316:
308:listed building
301:
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225:Listed Building
205:
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189:
183:Ignatius Bonomi
134:Characteristics
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70:
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1064:External links
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987:on 14 May 2021
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817:. 7 March 2021
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627:, p. 14.
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613:NHLEpics 2021
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571:Rennison 1996
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452:Head of Steam
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284:Skerne Bridge
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236:Skerne Bridge
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233:Official name
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25:Skerne Bridge
22:
19:
1067:
1051:. Retrieved
1046:
1031:. Retrieved
1027:
1012:. Retrieved
1007:
989:. Retrieved
982:the original
977:
962:
951:. Retrieved
947:
932:
918:, retrieved
912:
881:
869:, retrieved
865:the original
858:
839:. Retrieved
835:Network Rail
834:
819:. Retrieved
814:
799:. Retrieved
794:
779:. Retrieved
774:
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737:
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689:
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640:SDR1825 2021
625:HEAudit 2019
620:
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549:
449:
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430:Network Rail
422:British Rail
402:Network Rail
387:
378:
373:
360:
356:John Skinner
325:
288:River Skerne
283:
281:
155:Longest span
128:Network Rail
108:River Skerne
18:
920:15 December
485:John Dobbin
369:John Dobbin
364:Heighington
69: /
54:54°32′4.0″N
44:Coordinates
1077:Categories
751:References
464:Locomotion
439:2021-12-07
392:1970-06-19
346:1825-09-27
302:1825-09-27
292:Darlington
248:2021-12-07
241:Designated
214:Statistics
206:1825-09-27
118:Darlington
57:1°33′2.2″W
953:12 August
426:Railtrack
227:– Grade I
841:11 April
801:11 April
781:11 April
763:BBC News
730:BBC 2021
706:ICE 2015
272:Location
179:Designer
166:of spans
147:Material
1053:9 April
871:11 June
470:Gallery
437: (
390: (
350:, when
344: (
314:History
300: (
259:1475481
246: (
204: (
174:History
104:Crosses
99:Railway
96:Carries
1033:3 June
1014:14 May
991:14 May
893:
416:, and
199:Opened
139:Design
114:Locale
1004:(PDF)
985:(PDF)
974:(PDF)
944:(PDF)
821:7 May
541:Notes
150:Stone
124:Owner
1055:2022
1035:2021
1016:2021
993:2021
955:2021
922:2021
891:ISBN
873:2021
843:2021
823:2021
803:2021
783:2021
340:Yarm
282:The
142:Arch
406:ICE
290:in
164:No.
1079::
1045:.
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1006:.
976:.
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931:.
911:,
907:,
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833:.
813:.
793:.
773:.
761:.
674:^
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169:3
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